Means for cooling liquids



J. HUTCHINSON.

MEANS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS. APPLICATION FILED sEPT.16,191s.

1,327,560, Patented Jan. 6,1920.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET I.

FIG. 1. 55 5? 55m 54 we 13'A :i

HIIHH Il fgvwewtoz JOB HUTCHINSON J. HUTCHINSON.

MEANS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS. APPLICAHON FILED SEPT. 16. |918.

1,327,560. Patented Jan; 6,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. FIG 2 F 1G. 3.

Snom/1101 JOB HUTCHNON UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

J OB HUTCHINSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS.

Application filed September 16, 1918.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOB HUTCHINSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Means for Cooling Liquids, ofwhich the following is a specication.

This invention relates to means for cooling liquids, such as drinkingwater, without the use of ice, and more particularly to means foremploying the heat absorbing power of expanding gases for this purpose.

While the invention is well adapted for use in hotels, railway stations,and other public places, it has special utility when installed onrailroad trains, where the exhaust from the brake cylinders is availableas a cheap and convenient source of compressed air. f

Among the chief objects of the invention are to provide an eiiicientcooler having adjacent gas and liquid chambers with extended contactsurfaces for the exchange of heat, and to arrange automatic means forintermittently delivering charges of compressed gases into the gaschamber and permitting them to expand therein. The invention alsocontemplates the provision of a plurality of gas chambers and means forautomatically forcing the chilled expanded gases from one chamber intoand through another chamber.

The invention further consists in the provision of improved automaticinlet and exhaust valves for accomplishing the above mentionedoperations, in an interlock between the gas and liquid controllingvalves, and in certain novel details of construction, all as hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part yof the specification, and inwhich Figure 1 is a central `vertical section through my improved coolercomplete, parts being broken away. f

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof on a somewhat reduced scale.

Fig. 3 is a plan view on the same scale as Fig. 2.

Fig, 4l is a sectional view substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 buton the same scale .as .Fg- 3; and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 254,300.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a filter which I may employ in connectionwith my cooler.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved cooler comprises asuitable base 1, preferably formed of cast metal. On this base issupported a cylindrical barrel 2 to the upper end of which is secured atop casting 3 to which in turn is attached a top cover plate 4f. Insidethe Vcasting 3 and secured thereto by means of screws. 6 is a ring 5serving to support other parts of the cooler hereinafter described.

I preferably surround the, cylindrical barrel 2 with a series ofsuperposed flanged rings 7 between which arev secured annular plates 8.The barrel 2 and rings 7 form the inner wall of a hollow cylindricalliquid containing chamber, the outer wall of which is built up of aseries of overlapping annular angular plates so shaped as to form whenassembled a series of ribs 9 with alternating grooves or depressions 10between them. It will thus be seen that the plates 8 which project fromthe inner wall of the liquid chamber extend out into the rib portions 9so as to form a zigzag passageway extending axially of such chamber.

The liquid containing chamber just de.- scribed is surrounded by acylindrical casing built up of inner and outer walls 11' and 12 filledwith heat insulating material 13. This casing is spaced from the liquidchamber and carries a series of annular baille plates 11i which projectinto the grooves 10 of the liquid chamber as clearly shown in Fig. 1thus forming a zigzag passageway 15 which surrounds the liquid chamber.

Water or other liquid to be cooled is supplied from any suitable sourcethrough a pipe 16 and its discharge is controlled by means ofa cock orfaucet 18 having a connection 17 with the lower end ofy thev liquidcontaining chamber.

Compressed gas is supplied to the cooler from a suitable reservoir whichmay be charged in any desired way. In some installations, a special pumpor compressor may be employed, butk when my improved cooler is used onrailway trains, I propose to avail myself of the exhaust from the airbrake cylinders as a cheap and convenient source of compressed air. Theybrake cylinders in this case would exhaust into the reservoir @N5instead of into atmosphere as usual..

The icompressefl air er agas is delivered Patented J an. 6, 1920.

from the reservoir 65 through a pipe 19 which is secured by means of abushing 20 to a valve casing 21. Mounted in this casing is a rotary3-way valve 23 having a handle 26 and controlling a passageway 22leading to the cooler. The valve 23 also controls a port communicatingwith a chamber 24 closed at one end by a plug 25. At the opposite end ofthis chamber is a valve 27 which controls communication between thechamber and the passage 22. The valve 27 is carried by a stem 28 whichpasses through a stuffing gland 29. On the stem 28 is secured a collar31 and between this collar and the gland 29 is disposed a helical spring30 which tends to normally seat the valve 27. The outer end of the stem28 passes freely through a guide lug 1L carried by the casting 1 and isarranged to bear against a cam 32 mounted on the lower end of the cock18. From this it will be apparent that when the coclr is open as shownin Fig. 1, the valve 27 isv also open and compressed air can pass to thecooler as hereinafter described, and that with the valve 23 in theposition shown, air can only pass when the coclr 18 is open. Tf,however, it is desired to establish comiunication between the pipe 19and passage 22 independent of the valve 27, the handle 26 is swungdownwardly so as to open the by-pass around the valve 27 as will beevident.

The valve casting 21 is preferably screwed into a plate 33, which issecured to the base 1. This port is bored out at its center to form apocket 34, the upper edges of which constitute a' valve seat ashereinafter described. Also secured to the plate 33 is an invertedcup-shaped casting 35. Located inside of this casing or chamber andpreferably screwed into the top thereof is a guide sleeve or bushing 36having a central bore and radial ports 37. In this central bore worksfreely a hollow valve stem 39 having a set of ports 38 adapted toregister with the ports 37 and carrying at its upper end a comparativelylarge valve 40. This valve 40 is adapted to close against a iiXed`annular seat 41. The lower end of the valve stem 39 carries a conicalvalve 42 adapted to seat against the edges of the pocket 34 as abovedescribed.

Arranged to slide freely in the cylindrical barrel 2 above the valve 40is a weighted piston 43 having the usual leather 44 at its lower end.This is secured in position by means of a washer 46 and screw 45.

Between the top of the chamber 35 and valve seat 4l is formed apassageway which forms a continuation of a passageway 47 establishingcommunication with the zigzag passage 15.' At the top of such zigzagpassage a number of openings 48 are formed through the casting 3 andeach of these openings is controlled by a gravity check valve 49 havinga stem 50 passing freely through the top plate 4. Between the top plateand the casting 3 is formed a space 51 and this space communicates withthe outside atmos phere through an opening 52 controlled by a gravityvalve 53 having a stein 54 working freely through a removable plate 55.The valve 53 operates in a cage formed by an upstanding flange 55ahaving ports 56 formed therein. An adjustable ring 57 hav ingcorresponding ports 59 surrounds the flange 55a and may be secured inadjusted position by means of a set-screw 58 (see Fig. 3). By this meansthe ports 56 and 59 can be brought more or less into registry and thegas permitted to escape with greater or less freedom as desired.

At the bottom of the passageway or gas chamber 15 I preferably provide adrain cock 60 for taking care of any condensation that may occur.

Water may be supplied from any suitable source direct to the coolerthrough the pipe 16 or if desired a filter such as shown in Fig. 5 maybe interposed. Referring to this figure, it will be seen that the filtercomprises a casing 61 formed in halves inclosn ing and spaced from afilter stone 62. vWater enters the filter through a pipe 63 and is drawnoli1 from a central pocket 64 by means of the pipe 16. Any othersuitable type of filter may of course be employed.

The operation of my improved cooler will now be described. Gas underpressure such, for instance, as compressed air at say 25 lbs. to thesquare inch is charged into the reservoir 65 from the air brakecylinders or other suitable source. The valve 23, being properly set, orthe valve 27 being open as shown, compressed gas passes up through thepassage 22 into the chamber 35. The weight of the piston 43 resting uponthe valve 40 will force this valve down until the ports 38 are broughtinto registry with the ports 37 and at the same time the valve 42 isbrought firmly down upon its seat. Thus, a charge of compressed air of agiven volume as determined by the capacity of the chamber 35 isdelivered through the ports 37 and 38 into the space immediately belowthe piston. The pressure thus formed above the valve 40 serves to holdthis valve firmly to its seat. Such pressure at the same time operatesto raise the piston 43 against gravity and the piston continues to riseuntil the charge of gas has expanded to such an eX- tent that thepressure against the under side of the valve 42 is greater than thepressure on the upper side of valve 40. l/Vhen this point is reached,the valves 42 and 40. will be forced upward into the position shown inFig. 1 thus establishing communication under the valve 40 between thecentral gas cylinder and the passage 47. The piston thereupon descendsby its own weight forcl fl 0 ing the chilled and expanded charge of gasout past the valve 40 and through the passageway 47 into the zigzagchamber l5. It will be understood that this discharge of the expandedgas takes place automatically when the pressure has fallen in thecylinder to a predetermined value. Thus, for example, if the piston 43weighs fourteen pounds and has an area of seven square inches, it willrequire a minimum pressure of two pounds to the square inch to supportthe piston. The size of the valve 40 is selected with proper relation tothe pressure in the reservoir 65 and the weight of the piston so that itwill be unseated as described when the piston has risen to the properextent and the desired reduction in pressure has taken place.

The charge of chilled and expanded gas under say two pounds pressure istherefore forced by the falling of the piston into and through thezigzag chamber or passageway l5 from the top of which it escapes throughthe openings 48 into the space 5l and in fact follows the piston downinto the upper part of the cylinder 2 as indicated by the arrows. Whenthe piston again rises, this entrapped and expanded gas is then forcedthrough the opening 52 and discharged to atmosphere.

It will be seen that as long as the gas supply is uninterrupted theoperation of the piston and valves 40 and 42 will be continuous, themechanism serving to automatically and intermittently deliver charges ofcompressed gas from the chamber 35 into the inner chamber or cylinder 2,expand such charges in this inner chamber, and then after expansion,expel theml into and through the outer chamber l5.`

It will be noted that the liquid Hows downwardly through the liquidchamber and the gas flows upwardly through the outer gas chamber thusbringing the coldest gas into contact first with the coldest liquid.

What I claim is:

1. A liquid cooler comprising adjacent liquid and gas chambers,automatic means for intermittently delivering successive charges ofcompressed gases to and expanding them in said gas chamber, and meansfor expelling each such expanded charge before the delivery of thesucceeding charge.

2. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid chamber, a pair of gas chambersadjacent thereto, and automatic means for intermittently deliveringcharges of compressed gases into one chamber, permitting them to expand,and then forcing the expanded charges into the other chamber.

3. A liquid cooler comprising inner and outer gas chambers, a liquidchamber disposed between said gas chambers, and means for deliveringcompressed gas into one of said gas chambers, expanding it, and then andthen discharging it into and through the other gas chamber.

6. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid chamber, three gas chambersadjacent thereto, means for delivering compressed gas to the firstchamber to form charges of constant volume, means for successivelydischarging such charges into the second gas chamber and reducing theirpressure, and automatic means operating, when the pressure has fallen toa predetermined value, to discharge such gas into the third chamber.

7. liquid cooler comprising a liquid containing chamber having acylindrical barrel extending therethrough, a piston freely movablevertically in said barrel, a valve at the lower end of said barrelpartially controlled by said piston, and means for supplying compressedgases to said valve below said piston.

S. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid containing chamber having avertically disposed cylindrical barrel extending therethrough, a pistonfreely slidable in said barrel, means for admitting compressed gas tothe bottom of said barrel beneath said piston to raise the same, andautomatic means for discharging such gas when its pressure has fallen toa predetermined value, and thus permit said piston to drop.

9. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid containing chamber having avertically disposed cylindrical barrel extending therethrough, of aweighted piston freely lslidable in said barrel, means for supplyingcompressed gas to said barrel beneath the piston, and means controlledjointly bv the gas pressure and the weight of the piston forintermittently admitting charges of gas into the barrel and dischargingthe same therefrom.

10. A liquid cooler comprising a liquid containing chamber having acylindrical barrel extending vertically therethrough, a

lweighted piston freely slidable in said/barrel, a combined inlet anddischarge valve at the bottom of said barrel below the said piston.means for supplying compressed gas to the inlet opening controlled bysaid valve, and means governed jointly by said piston and the differencein gas pressure existing 0 on opposite sides of said valve torintermittently operating said valve to admit gas to and discharge itfrom said barrel.

ll. A liquid cooler comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical liquidcontaining chamber and an inner and outer gas cham ber, the lattersurrounding the liquid chainber, a valve controlling communicationbetween the lower ends oi: the inner and outer gas chambers and a secondvalve controlling communication between the upper ends et said gaschambers, and an exhaust valve con-- trolling connnunication betweensaid inner chamber and atmosphere.

l2. A liquid cooler comprising a. vertically disposed liquid containing)hamber having a cylindrical gas chamber extending centrallytherethrough, a second gas chamber surrounding said liquid chamber, asource of compressed gas, means for delivering charges of such gas tothe lower part of said cylindrical gas chamber, a piston in said chamberserving at predetermined times to discharge such gas from said innerchamber into and through said outer gas chamber and means :fordischarging the gas from the outer gas chamber into the upper end of thecylindrical gas chamber above said piston.

13. A liquid cooler comprising two gas chambers with a liquid chamberbetween them, automatic means for intermittently delivering charges ofcompressed gases to and expanding them in one gas chamber, and meansacting both by compression and suction for forcing such expanded chargesinto and through the other gas chamber, and into part of the irstchamber again.

14C. A liquid cooler comprising adaccnt liquid and gas chambers, meansfor supply ing compressed gas to the gas chamber, means for supplying`liquid to the liquid chamber, a cock for controlling the discharge ofliquid from said liquid chamber,

and means operated by said cock for govern'- ing the flow of gas to saidgas chamber.

l5. A liquid cooler having` walls dividing it into a central gas chamberand a water chamber surrounding the same, and a series of heatconducting plates secured to said walls and projecting radially intosaid water chamber.

16. A liquid cooler comprising a hollow cylindrical body having innerand outer walls, said outer wall being shaped to torni alternate annularribs and grooves, and plates projecting from said inner wall andextending into said rib portions, thus forming a zigzag passagewayaxially of said body.

17. A liquid cooler comprising a cylindrical body the outer wall ofwhich is shaped to form alternate annular ribs and grooves, acylindrical casing surrounding said body and spaced therefrom, andannular plates secured to said casing and projecting into said grooves,thus 'forming a zigzag passageway axially of and surrounding said body.

1S. A liquid cooler comprising a hollow cylindrical body having` innerand outer walls, said outer wall being shaped to form alternate annularribs and grooves, plates projecting from said inner wall and extendinginto the rib portions of said body, thus forming a zigzag passageway'axially through said body, a cylindrical casing sur* rounding said bodyand spaced therefrom, annular plates secured to said casing, andprojecting into said grooves thus forming a passageway axially of andsurround ing said body, and means for causing the liquid to be cooledand a cooling medium to flew respectively through said first and secondnamed zigzag passages.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

J OB l-IUTCHINSON.

